Synopsis

First Encounters offers a male insight into the realms of sensual romance, exploring the thought provoking world of liaisons between strangers.

On a hot summer’s night, a man awakes from a peaceful slumber, roused by a mysterious beauty appearing at his bedside. Is she real or merely a Night Vision?

Escaping the stresses of daily life to indulge in a little rest and recuperation, a weary businessman man unexpectedly engages a gorgeous exhibitionist in a voyeuristic Beach Encounter.

A chance meeting at a busy airport sees a young entrepreneur in the company of a seductive stranger for the duration of his flight to New York. She has a sexy secret to tell, but only if he shares one first; a Mid Air Collusion he’s unlikely to forget in a hurry.

Headmaster Peter Thompson is faced with a predicament when he summons a troubled sixth form student to discuss her latest misdemeanour. Refusing to accept her fate, Ariana takes control of the situation the only way she knows how.

While island hopping around the Cyclades, a backpacker is lured off the beaten track by a sexy local girl he meets on his travels. Was the need to satisfy his curiosity a good idea or A Greek Tragedywaiting to happen?

A college student embarks on a road trip, but didn’t envisage making the journey with a sexy hitch-hiker in tow. Two strangers find themselves thrown together in a slow-burning, tortuous tale of boy meets girl, set to the sounds of the new wave era. Will it be the end of the line when he reaches his destination or will The Hitcher lead him down another path?

A S Wilkins has been writing sensual romance for over fifteen years. It all started quite by accident, following the tragic death of his wife in 1998, when he was left with two small children to bring up alone, as well as manage his own software consultancy.

While still in a state of shock and running on auto-pilot, he settled into a daily routine of dropping the kids off at day care, fulfilling his nine to five obligations, collecting the kids in the evening, feeding them, bathing them and putting them to bed with a night-time story, before collapsing in front of the television and crying into a large glass of red.

He had neither the opportunity nor desire to meet anyone new, yet he craved companionship. Posing as Charming Man, after the name of his favourite song by his favourite band The Smiths, he began to trawl online chat rooms, striking up conversations with anonymous individuals who may or may not have been who they said they were; it made little difference to him.

A S Wilkins wears his heart on his sleeve, and it soon became apparent he was able to engage openly with people from all walks of life, be they male or female; but mostly female it has to be said. Many of his early conversations on the net were innocent in content; he would pour his heart out to anyone who would listen, and in return he would provide a shoulder to those who were equally going through difficult times. He found the process very therapeutic and saved him a fortune in counselling!

Before too long, these intimate exchanges left him wanting more, such is the nature of making a new acquaintance. However, charming by name and charming by nature, he chose never to cross the line until encouraged to do so by others. This led to many a cat and mouse war of words with many a like-minded soul, which both intrigued and excited him. It was during this time he wrote his first short story, Night Vision, detailing his longing for the next love to enter his life.

The more he chatted, the more he became obsessed with the notion of sexual encounters between strangers. Still not in a position to embark on a new relationship in the real world, he continued to engage women in cyberspace, and together they would contrive a variety of scenarios from the respective comfort of their laptops. Many of these scenarios were later to become short stories; Beach Encounter, Mid Air Collusion, Ariana, A Greek Tragedy and The Hitcher, to name a few.

Fast forward several years and A S Wilkins has found happiness once more, having settled down north of London with a new partner and their combined family of four children. The release of Fifty Shades of Grey in March 2012 prompted him to dust off his short stories for his partner to read. She was impressed and managed to persuade him to publish them. Shortly after, charmingman.com was born.

Writing as Charming Man, A S Wilkins is always on the lookout for the next encounter to write about. When two individuals make eye contact across a room or on a crowded train, and a connection is made, this is often the green light that sets his imagination on fire. A knowing look is all it can take; a word might never be spoken. However, the minute an affinity is perceived, a scenario is hatched in his head, which is then honed over the coming days and weeks into a believable idea for a story.

And this final point is key; whereas it’s true to say that many of his works are clearly fantasies, it’s important to him that these fantasies are believable. The idea of a twenty-seven year old billionaire meeting a twenty-one year old virgin just doesn’t cut it for Charming Man.

Find out more about Charming Man by visiting his website at charmingman.com.

Champion rodeo rider Dane Bowden is eight seconds from winning under the Vegas lights, one last hurrah before reluctantly returning to his family’s Montana ranch. But his bull has other plans. When Dane wakes up, he’s sure he’s died and gone to heaven . . . because the doctor who comes to his aid is the same girl who saved his life and disappeared years ago.

Bell would do anything for Dane. He’s the fantasy that always kept her going. A child genius hidden away by her family, Bell was the secret no one talked about, the girl no one wanted. Despite finding success as a young surgeon, she’s still the awkward girl who’s never had a boyfriend. So why does Dane, a notorious playboy and sizzling-hot cowboy, insist on taking her on a real date?

Bell is the only woman in Dane’s heart. When a rodeo rivalry turns deadly, it’s his turn to save Bell’s life—because he sure as hell won’t lose his guardian angel again.

A hand settled on his shoulder and shook him. He groggily moaned and tried to open his eyes. The bright sun blinded him until his father leaned over and blocked the light as he stared down at Dane.

“Dad?”

“Are you okay, son? Is anything broken?”

“My head hurts. Ankle, too, but nothing is broken but my pride. I fell off my damn horse.”

“Okay, now. I’ll get you home. Can you get up?”

“I think so.” Dane pressed his hands down at his sides and rose to sitting. The wet piece of fabric fell from his head and landed on his bare belly, along with the blue feather that fluttered into his lap. “Where is she?”

“Who?”

“The girl.”

“Dane, no one is here.”

“She helped me. She’s got to be around here somewhere.”

“There’s no one for miles.”

“How did you find me?”

“Your horse came home without you. I know you like to ride along the river, so I followed your trail.” His dad cocked his head, his eyes taking on a thoughtful gleam. “I did think I heard you whistle for me.”

“I passed out.”

“Must have been the wind in the trees.”

Dane didn’t think so. He pinched the end of the feather between his thumb and index finger and stared at it. He scanned the riverbank and out toward the hills. He didn’t see her anywhere. He didn’t understand the way his chest went tight and the sadness that overtook him. Nothing but his regret that he didn’t get to thank her or say goodbye. He never got her name.

His dad held out his hand. Dane took it. His father pulled him up, and Dane stood on his good leg. He tested out his twisted ankle. The slight pressure sent a bolt of pain up his leg.

“How’s your vision?”

“Better.”

“You did a good job using your shirt to bind that ankle and staunch the bleeding on your head.”

“I didn’t. She did.”

His father eyed him, shaking his head side to side. “Dane—”

“I’m telling you, Dad, there was a girl. She helped me.”

“Okay, son. I believe you, but I didn’t see anyone out here with you. I don’t know where she could have gone. We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

Which was the reason Dane liked it out here so much. Still, how did she get out here, and where did she go?

He lifted himself up into the saddle and grabbed the reins on the horse his father brought back for him to ride. He kept his eyes trained, searching the entire area the whole way back home, but he saw nothing, no one.

Dane went back to the spot beside the river more than a dozen times, looking for his dark-haired, blue-eyed angel. He never found her, but he’d never forget her either.

Jennifer Ryan is the New York Times
& USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted Series and The McBrides
Series. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary small-town romances
featuring strong men and equally resilient women. Her stories are filled with
love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever-after we all hope to find.

Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay
Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s
reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home
and in how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional
worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming
about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.

I am so excited to share this excerpt today. Enjoy!

The Shadow by Sylvain Reynard

Excerpt

Raven watched as William efficiently disrobed, neatly folding every article of black clothing (with the exception of underwear, which he never wore), and placing it on the vanity.

She brushed imaginary lint from her dress as he stood in front of her, naked.

He was under six feet in height, his body lean and strong. Raven took a moment to appreciate the definition of his muscled chest and abdomen, and the strong cast to his thighs. Not even a statue carved by the most talented sculptor could create a being with so much perfection.

His face put her in mind of an angel with intense, gray eyes that now looked at her expectantly.

She hid her face. “You said you loved me.”

“I did. What’s more, I meant it.”

“Love is a peculiar thing. I’ve seen it. I’ve even cheered for it. But I never believed it was for me.”

“Why shouldn’t a beautiful, fierce young woman hope for love?”

“Because, as you put it, human beings are shallow.”

“Love is deep.” His rich voice echoed in the bathroom.

“Love is having the power to destroy another person.”

William stepped closer. “Are you afraid of being destroyed?”

“Destroyed, consumed, betrayed.” She fidgeted with the neckline of her gown.

William placed his hand over hers, stilling it. “Love creates; it doesn’t destroy.”

His lips found the place where her neck met her shoulder. He kissed her leisurely, tracing the path of her bared collarbone with his mouth.

His fingers brushed her zipper. “Let me.”

He undid her dress, dropping it to the marble tiles.

Her bra followed. She was as naked as he.

His eyes roved her body appraisingly. His pale fingers caressed her cheek, her mouth, and her neck. His strong hands cupped her breasts, her abdomen, and her hips.

His gray eyes met hers.

“The power you describe is the power you have here.” He touched her forehead before moving his hand to cover her heart. “And here. It’s the power you have over me. Power I haven’t yielded to another since I was human.”

He brought his lips to her ear. “Your fears are shared.”

With a slow kiss on her neck, he led her into the shower, standing behind her underneath a tropical rainfall showerhead.

Raven closed her eyes and lifted her face, like a flower following the sun. The warm water soaked her hair and streamed down the generous curves of her body.

“I’ve never showered with another person. What happens next?” William rested his hands on her shoulders.

She wiped the water from her face.

“Whatever you want. Just don’t let me fall.”

William’s gaze dropped to her right leg, which she was favoring.

“Is the pain terrible?”

“It’s worse after I’ve been lying down. Sometimes I topple over.”

William spread his arm around her waist, drawing her back to his chest. “Then I must be sure to catch you.”

She kissed him, reaching up to run her fingers through his wet hair as the water poured down their shoulders.

Her motions were fraught with an eagerness born of love and affection and the relief of remembering she hadn’t lost him.

He was hers.

Even now, naked, with a myriad of flaws few men overlooked, he embraced her. He embraced her imperfections.

He loved her.

His cool hands scorched her skin, splaying fingers wide over her abdomen and bringing her backside into contact with what rose between his hips.

She gave him her weight and he held firm, nipping and licking at her lips before enticing her to enter his mouth.

He entertained the intrusion for a moment or two then, with a growl, he spun her around, pressing their chests together.

Raven looked up into blazing gray eyes.

“Are you certain?”

She nodded.

“I need the words, Raven. I need to know you want this.”

“I want you.”

He took her mouth, his tongue alternately penetrating and retreating in a sensual rhythm.

She tilted her head, welcoming him, as the water continued to rain down.

Hands roamed over slick skin as their lower bodies came into alignment. She touched his neck, his shoulders, his biceps, holding them tightly in an effort to remain upright.

William was not a tame lover.

In his arms, she sensed his control, his desire, and the war that waged between the two. But he’d never harmed her and had always focused his attention on giving pleasure before taking it. Usually more than once.

“You’re a dream,” she sighed. “A dream of love I never thought I’d have.”

His eyes burned into hers.

Without warning, he lifted her, tugging her thighs around his hips.

He lowered his mouth to her breasts, tasting and teasing before sucking droplets of water from her eager flesh.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him eager between her legs.

He lifted her higher, hands beneath her backside, making sure he was correctly aligned.

“Breathe,” he commanded, his eyes boring in to hers.

Here was the vampyre, proud and powerful, teetering on the edge of control. He bared his teeth as if on instinct and his chest rumbled.

“Just don’t break me,” she whispered, pushing a lock of blond hair from his forehead.

William’s expression grew even more fierce.

“I won’t break you. Whatever harm I bring to you I vow to heal.”

He swallowed her reply with his kiss. Then with a single thrust, he entered her.

His kisses were as fierce as his movements as he pushed inside and withdrew, over and over. His grip on her backside tightened as he lifted and moved her in concert with his own motion.

Raven clung to him, her hand trailing to his lower back so she could urge him deeper.

Not that he needed the encouragement.

Her breasts brushed against his chest, the friction teasing and arousing.

She ignored the warm spray of the water, the scent of soap and William, and the nagging discomfort in her leg and ankle. Her focus was on feeling as he brought her swiftly to the brink of orgasm.

Before she could signal how close she was, she climaxed, her hand clutching his neck as she threw her head back.

William continued his pace until she’d finished, his mouth dropping to her breasts, drawing one of them into his mouth.

What’s unique about this anthology? Well….most of these titles have NEVER been in an anthology and a few are very recent releases, not just first books in a series. The authors really worked hard at making this collaboration ONE OF A KIND!

Blurb

Head Back to School with NINE COMPLETE (Full-Length) Romances from New York Times, USA Today, and Bestselling authors NEVER BEFORE in ONE Boxed Set!!!

NINE new book boyfriends are all here to make you sigh, swoon, and switch panties as you head back to school (or kiss the kids and send them out the door! *wink*)

INCLUDING:

UNBREAK ME, by Lexi Ryan: Returning home to be a bridesmaid in her ex-fiancé’s wedding to her sister, Maggie Thompson, a 21-year old college-dropout, hopes to salvage her long-tarnished reputation and strained relationship with her family. Instead, she finds herself caught in a web of secrets and deception between the man who once promised to fix her and the sexy ex-rocker who gives her permission to break.

LEVITATE by Kaylee Ryan: Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, you realize your puzzle is unfinished. With one touch you find a piece you never thought you needed. The piece that makes you Levitate.

BLUE by HJ Bellus: Blue Williams shines no matter the circumstance, until one night changes her forever. The beauty is gone, and all she has left are nasty, ugly memories. The man who saved her has a story of his own, with 90 percent of his body scarred. What happens when the Beauty falls for the Beast?

TATTOO by Cambria Hebert: An undercover cop on vacation, a bank teller just doing her job, and a group of bank robbers waiving a gun around. Just when Brody and Taylor think they’ll make it out a tattoo changes everything.

FIGHTING SILENCE by Aly Martinez: I spent my life dodging the punches reality threw at me. I had worthless parents and two brothers who depended on me. Meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan–neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one. They both happened anyway.

SPARK by Erin Noelle: Desperate to improve his younger brother’s worsening condition, Crew Elliott and his family decide to turn to unconventional treatments and move to Colorado. It is there, in the search for medical marijuana, he finds beautiful, free-spirited Hudson Shavell–a girl who may not only hold the key to heal his brother, but to fix him as well.

COMBUST by Tessa Teevan: When Virgin Queen Andi Kane meets Cohen Wellington, she’s sure he’s The One… She’s never been more wrong. Three years later, he’s the man she never wants to see again, she’s the one who got away, and this time, despite her protests, he’s not letting her go without a fight.

VERY TWISTED THINGS by Ilsa Madden-Mills: He’s a rock star with a past. She’s the heiress who’s lost everything. Welcome to Briarcrest Academy–Hollywood style–where sometimes the best things in life are VERY TWISTED THINGS.

ONE TO LOVE by Tia Louise: Fighting, tattoos, fame, love, LOSS… It’s the one thing Kenny and Slayde have in common, until the night Fate throws them together and everything changes. It’s a story about fighting, about falling in love; and it’s about losing everything only to find it again in the least likely place.

Have you ever wondered what your favorite authors carry around in their bags?

Well, this segment on my blog will answer that question.

Emma Chase revealed the contents of her purse for all to see and explained why she carries them.

Full disclosure: I might be cheating a little bit, because I just came back from vacation so bag is still “TSA approved for airplane security” much neater than it usual!

So, what’s in my bag?

My iphone – don’t leave home without it (I never do)! My phone has my kindle app with loads of books, Twitter and FB apps, and of course email – I feel totally cut off from civilization if I don’t have my phone.

Sticky notes & pens – to jot down book ideas and dialogue as soon as they pop into my head (because if I don’t, I’m sure to forget them).

Social Media Links:

About Emma Chase: By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night, she toils away bringing her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. Writing has always been her passion, and the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, was nothing less than a dream come true.

This is a fansite/personal blog written for entertainment purposes only. I am not affiliated with any author, anyone in the publishing, television, restaurant, or movie industry. No copyright infringement is intended.